MANILA - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Tuesday announced a set of actions to mainstream lead exposure mitigation into its operations, as part of its participation in the newly formed Partnership for a Lead-Free Future.

The partnership, with the aim of eliminating childhood lead exposure by 2040, is a global initiative led by the United Nations Children's Fund and the United States Agency for International Development.

The ADB said its participation in the partnership underscores its ongoing commitment to addressing health and environmental challenges in developing Asia and the Pacific.

The bank said toxic lead exposure has been affecting at least 400 million children in Asia and the Pacific, leading to cognitive impairments, health complications, and significant economic losses.

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The global economic cost of lead-related cognitive underdevelopment is estimated at about $1 trillion annually, it added.

"Lead exposure doesn't just affect children's health -- it holds back entire economies," said ADB Vice-President for East and Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Scott Morris.

"The Partnership for a Lead-Free Future is an important step in addressing this environmental, health, and economic issue. We will dedicate ADB's expertise and resources to help ensure that countries across Asia and the Pacific can mitigate lead exposure, enhance public health, and secure a healthier, more productive future for all," said Morris.

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The ADB said it is embedding lead management into its broader environmental safeguards and technical assistance programs. It has already begun engaging with governments in Indonesia, India, and the Philippines to tackle lead contamination.

The Manila-based bank will co-host a technical side event on lead pollution at the 12th Asia Pacific Regional Forum on Health and Environment in Jakarta on Wednesday.

The upcoming forum will serve as a platform to advance the lead elimination agenda, highlighting cutting-edge research on lead exposure and showcasing effective strategies for reducing lead poisoning, the bank said.